After Getting Bound to Both the Protagonist and the Villain at the Same Time - Chapter 18

In the end, Lin Chuyi rejected Shen Qing’s proposal—partly because she didn’t want to disturb the girl’s sleep, and partly because Gu Mian was actually serious about squeezing in too.

Lin Chuyi could already envision the chaotic scene. She pressed a hand to her forehead. “I really can’t do a thing with you two.”

The final verdict: Gu Mian was banished to the sofa, while Lin Chuyi and Shen Qing retired to their respective beds.

Just as Lin Chuyi and Gu Mian were about to leave Shen Qing’s room, a soft voice called out, “Sister.”

Lin Chuyi stopped and turned. Gu Mian, who had been walking ahead, paused as well, her back tensing.

Shen Qing had intended to bring up the goodnight kiss, but the words died in her throat. Her “Sister” clearly had no concept of what a goodnight kiss implied, which meant Gu Mian didn’t have that habit with her either. If she mentioned it now, Gu Mian would undoubtedly start demanding the same treatment.

“Yes?” Lin Chuyi looked at Shen Qing, suddenly remembering. “Oh, right! Goodnight.” The kiss, right?

Before she could finish, Shen Qing reached out and lightly tapped her finger against Lin Chuyi’s lips. “This is a secret between us,” she said. Under Gu Mian’s burning gaze, Shen Qing calmly withdrew her hand. “Goodnight, Sister.”

“Goodnight.” Lin Chuyi felt a twinge of guilt. She had promised a kiss but hadn’t delivered and now certainly wasn’t the right time to do so.

Sensing Shen Qing’s disappointment, Lin Chuyi took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll owe you for tonight. If I miss any more, I’ll owe you those too.” She offered a quick smile. “I’ll make them all up to you later.”

“Thank you, Sister.” Shen Qing’s eyes sparkled with a sudden brightness that Gu Mian found incredibly irritating.

Gu Mian couldn’t stand seeing them interact. She reached out, took Lin Chuyi’s other wrist, and led her back to their apartment.

Since Lin Chuyi was firm about the sofa, Gu Mian had no choice but to drag out a duvet and settle in. She leaned back against the cushions, her shimmering eyes fixed on Lin Chuyi. With the blanket partially slipped down, her slender neck was exposed; she looked like a dejected kitten who hadn’t received its treat, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings.

Lin Chuyi walked straight into the bedroom without looking back, her eyelashes fluttering only after she had firmly shut the door.

Gu Mian knew she had been dancing on the edge of Lin Chuyi’s comfort zone all night, perhaps even scuffing the line of her boundaries. But only Gu Mian knew how impossible it was to hold back. Whenever Lin Chuyi showed her even a hint of special affection, every nerve and cell in her body sang with joy.

She craved her; she craved her attention and the way she slowly yielded, inch by inch.

Gu Mian imagined pinning Lin Chuyi against a wall, her hands gripping that soft, impossibly slender waist, pressing in dominantly until they were fused together. She imagined Lin Chuyi growing weak in her arms, her lips parting to release a faint, rosy breath.

And then, she would kiss her.

The mere thought of that thrill made her breathing heavy and ragged. The softness of the sofa pulled her into a dreamscape filled with Lin Chuyi. Her throat tightened, and a restless heat pooled within her.

Eventually, Gu Mian stood up from the cramped sofa and retreated to the bathroom, washing her hands over and over with obsessive focus. But the repetition didn’t wash away her desire; it only made the vision clearer, her throat tighter.

With the corners of her eyes flushed a deep rose, she leaned over the sink, her breath heavy with restraint. In the dim light of the bathroom, the reflection in the mirror seemed to shift into the likeness of her “Sister,” and her longing dissolved into a fragile, whispered sigh.

Just wait, she told herself. Just a little longer.

Gu Mian had mentioned to Lin Chuyi that she had family matters to handle.

“If things go well, you’ll be able to do whatever you want in the future. I’ll support you with everything I have. By then, I’ll finally have the means to do it.”

Gu Mian never let Lin Chuyi see the messy details of her schemes; she protected her perfectly. Aside from her close friend Cheng Mingli, almost no one knew she had developed a weakness—a “reverse scale” that no one was allowed to touch.

Lin Chuyi knew the battle for the family estate had reached a fever pitch. She didn’t understand business warfare and had no desire to learn the dramatic tactics involved. After all, “Mengmeng” and the other core characters were there to help; as the protagonist, Gu Mian had to grow on her own.

Meanwhile, Shen Qing’s life had become unusually stable. As a “villain,” she was supposed to have endured a miserable senior year at her old school, crushed by disappointment. But thanks to Lin Chuyi and her teacher at the library, she had a fresh start. Surrounded by people with decent morals, the suffering fate had intended for her was being stripped away, piece by piece.

Shen Qing finally had the chance to become a good person.

She woke up early every day to go to school while Lin Chuyi went to work. With midterms approaching, the school required commuters to stay for evening self-study. Consequently, Shen Qing didn’t get home until nearly ten o’clock, missing Lin Chuyi’s internal clock entirely. The goodnight kisses remained “on debt.”

Shen Qing kept a careful, almost reverent tally in a small notebook, marking off strokes of the character “正” (zhèng) to count. Every time she thought about the moment she would collect on that debt, her face flushed red.

With Gu Mian and Shen Qing so busy, Lin Chuyi found herself with more free time. She realized that while her initial agreement with Mengmeng was temporary, the major plot points were passing and she showed no signs of leaving this world. If she was staying, she needed a plan. She decided to return to what she was best at; if she grew stronger, she could better protect her “kids.”

At the library, she bought a decent laptop. Surrounded by a wealth of resources, she began brushing up on her knowledge of information security.

In the blink of an eye, it was Shen Qing’s birthday.

Lin Chuyi woke up early on Saturday. When she went to call on Shen Qing, she found the girl already sitting by her open door, reciting from a textbook while waiting for her to wake up.

Gu Mian hadn’t come home and hadn’t sent much news. Lin Chuyi sent her a message saying she’d be out for the day and would be home late. Much later, Gu Mian replied with four simple words: Stay safe. Keep alert.

“Sister?” Shen Qing looked up. “Is something wrong? Is Gu Mian still busy?”

“Yes,” Lin Chuyi nodded. “I thought we could celebrate as a family, even though I promised it would be just us. Gu Mian is family, after all.”

Though Shen Qing was loath to admit it, Gu Mian had actually helped her while reclaiming her own company. Mostly it was for Lin Chuyi’s sake, but Gu Mian had gone out of her way to hire a top-tier lawyer to help Shen Qing deal with people like Niu Qianqian. Shen Qing appreciated the gesture.

“We can all celebrate your birthday together next time,” Shen Qing said. “Maybe by then, everyone will be free.”

“You’re right.” Lin Chuyi felt comforted. She enthusiastically pulled some pre-sifted flour from the fridge and set about cooking a bowl of “Longevity Noodles” for Shen Qing, taking great care to ensure the long strand didn’t break. Peace, health, and happiness, she wished silently.

When the noodles were served, Shen Qing noticed the poached egg on top was perfectly soft-boiled—it looked beautiful. Between the spring onions, the greens, the golden yolk, and the single, continuous noodle, Shen Qing’s eyes grew misty from the rising steam.

“Is it good?” Lin Chuyi asked.

“It’s delicious,” Shen Qing said, her eyes rimmed with red.

Lin Chuyi had planned a full itinerary for the day, which included taking Shen Qing to an amusement park.

There truly seemed to be a magical quality to such places. After they scanned their tickets and entered, staff members in mascot costumes led the guests into the park with songs and dances, ushering them into a world of unprecedented joy.

Following the park map, the first attraction they reached was a massive wooden roller coaster known as “The Wooden Dragon.”

This was one of the park’s most popular rides. By the time Lin Chuyi and Shen Qing arrived, a long line had already formed.

“I looked it up; this is a star attraction. Since we’re here early, the wait should be manageable,” Lin Chuyi said with a smile. She looked at Shen Qing. “Are you scared? Do you want to try it, or—”

Before she could finish, the coaster roared overhead, carrying the first group of riders through the sky. Hearing the mix of terrified screams and wild, ecstatic laughter, Shen Qing’s heart began to race.

“I want to try it,” Shen Qing said.

“Alright, let’s do it then.” Lin Chuyi took Shen Qing’s hand and joined the queue. Lin Chuyi hadn’t been nervous initially, but as the line dwindled, watching the wooden framework shudder as the train climbed, banked, and plunged caused a sense of trepidation to stir in her chest.

Shen Qing held Lin Chuyi’s hand tightly. Noticing her nervousness, she couldn’t help but press her lips together to hide a smile.

Finally, they boarded the ride. The coaster began its slow ascent, the gears clicking rhythmically into the climbing mechanism. Amidst the vibration of the wooden seats, the train crawled toward the highest peak.

At that moment, everyone’s heart leaped into their throat as the coaster came to a dead stop.

“Is it broken?”

“Why did we stop.”

“Yeah, why are we stopping.”

Suddenly—snap! The coaster plunged. The near-vertical drop and the sheer force of the impact were terrifying, yet electrifying!

The passengers felt as though they were walking a tightrope between mountain peaks; every step was nerve-wracking, yet every turn and drop sparked a surge of adrenaline. Lin Chuyi gripped Shen Qing’s hand hard, a sudden impulse of pure joy rising within her.

Shen Qing never took her eyes off Lin Chuyi. An inexplicable, overwhelming desire began to swell in her heart. The sheer intensity of the experience nearly moved her to tears, and her mind was screaming—Possess! Possess! Possess!

Shen Qing swallowed hard. Looking at Lin Chuyi, whose eyes were shining with excitement, she locked gazes with her just as the coaster surged toward the finish line.

Heartbeat.

In that moment, Shen Qing’s world was reduced to that single word. She could hear the thunderous thumping of her own heart and the distant screams and laughter of the crowd, but everything about Lin Chuyi was magnified. Her heart and mind were entirely consumed by Lin Chuyi, overflowing with the depth of her affection.

I love you, Sister.

I love you so much.